WOMEN OF ISRAEL’S MONARCHY

Opening Prayer
Lord, as we continue our journey through salvation history, help us to understand the positive and negative roles women have played in influencing the powerful men of Israel’s Monarchy. Give us the wisdom to understand through the examples of these women how we can impact others through our witness.

Let us recognize the strengths and weaknesses in the women so we can grow in virtue and avoid vice. Come Holy Spirit to increase our understanding.

“IN THOSE DAYS THERE WAS NO KING IN ISRAEL;

HANNAH AND SAMUEL

SAMUEL: JUDGE AND PROPHET

3 Kings:
Saul
David
Solomon
1050-
920 BC

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1 & 2 SAMUEL

• Kingship in Israel
• Worship & Obedience related
• Divine Covenant with David - dynasty and everlasting kingdom (Abraham: land, descendants, blessings)
• Jerusalem as capital
• Ark moved to Jerusalem

HISTORY AND THEOLOGY OF ISRAEL

WIVES OF THE MONARCHY

• David had eight named wives plus other wives and concubines
• Focus on three of wives: Michal, Abigail, Bathsheba
• Solomon: 700 wives and 300 concubines (political alliances)
• Downfall of United Kingdom 1 Kings 11

MICHAL - WIFE OF DAVID

DAVID AND GOLIATH, THE PHILISTINE

KING SAUL IS JEALOUS OF DAVID

Several attempts made by Saul to kill David.
1 Samuel 18:10-11

MICHAL LOVED DAVID

MICHAL SAVES DAVID

AFTER DAVID IS KING HE ASKS FOR THE RETURN OF MICHAL

DAVID BRINGS THE ARK TO JERUSALEM

EPHOD

MICHAL WAS WATCHING FROM THE WINDOW

2 Samuel 6:20-22
When David went home to bless his own house, Michal, the daughter of Saul came out to meet him and said, “How well the king of Israel has honored himself today, exposing himself to the view of the slave girls of his followers, as a commoner might expose himself!”

But David replied to Michal: “I was dancing before the Lord. As the Lord lives, who chose me over your father and all his house when he appointed me ruler over the Lord’s people, Israel, not only will I make merry before the Lord, but I will demean myself even more. I will be lowly in your eyes, but in the eyes of the slave girls you spoke of I will be somebody.”

CAUSE OF MICHAL’S SORROW

• Lonely, barren woman
• Unloved by David
• Turns from God
• Watching worship, not participating
• Concern for appearances
• Made choices as to how to respond

ISSUES FOR REFLECTIONS

• Treatment of women by the powerful in patriarchal society
• No concern for Michal’s feelings
• Realities and unfairness of life
• God as only source of hope
• How we respond to our feelings can impact our story.

Saul’s daughter Michal was childless to the day she died.
2 Samuel 6:23

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DAVID AND ABIGAIL

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ABIGAIL AND NABAL

• Abigail was the wife of Nabal, a fool
• She was intelligent and attractive
• Nabal was wealthy, harsh and bad-mannered. Refused supplies to David’s servants.
• David and his servants had protected Nabal’s land. David now plans to attack and kill Nabal.
• Abigail intervenes with David for her husband without informing him.

ABIGAIL’S GIFT OFFERINGS

• 200 loaves
• Two skins of wine
• Five dressed sheep
• Five Seahs of roasted grain
• 100 cakes of pressed raisins
• 200 cakes of pressed figs

As she fell at his feet she said: “My lord, let the blame be mine. Please let your maidservant speak to you; listen to the words of your maidservant...1 Samuel 25:24

ABIGAIL’S INTERVENTION

• Gifts
• Words to change David’s mind: honest advice with patience and balance.
• One of longest speeches by a woman in the Bible (1Samuel 25:24-31).
• Tempers David; she reminds him vengeance belongs to God

David’s Response
“Blessed is the Lord, the God of Israel, who sent you to meet me today. Blessed is your good judgment and blessed are you yourself. Today you have prevented me from shedding blood...
1 Samuel25:32-35

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But them when Nabal was sober, his wife told him what had happened. At this his heart died within him, and he became like a stone. About ten days later the Lord struck Nabal and he died.
1 Samuel 25:37-38

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QUALITIES OF ABIGAIL

• Peacemaker
• Generous and reasonable
• Quick-witted and wise
• Humble
• Intelligent
• Concern for others

REFLECTIONS

• How do Abigail’s choices compare to Michal’s choices?.
• Who are Abigail’s in your life to provide good advice and balance?
• Do you have Davids or Nabals in your life? How do you respond?

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BATHSHEBA

BATHSHEBA

• Wife of Uriah
• Wife of David
• Mother of King Solomon
• Woman involved in David’s scandalous affair and cover-up
• Innocent party to affair

David sees beautiful Bathsheba bathing, sends messengers and took her (11:4)...she sent message to King David, “I am pregnant” (11:5)

David arranges the death of Bathsheba’s husband Uriah.

But once the mourning was over, David sent for her and brought her into his house. She became his wife and bore him a son. But in the sight of the Lord what David had done was evil.
2 Samuel 11:27

NATHAN’S PARABLE 2 SAMUEL 12:1-7

NATHAN THE PROPHET: PARABLE

• Causes King David to convict himself
• Repentance about taking what was not his, especially life of a faithful soldier
• Repentance not about his behavior with Bathsheba

BATHSHEBA AS MOTHER

• First son with David dies
• Comforted by David
• Second son Solomon
• Co-conspirator with Nathan to establish Solomon’s succession
• Mediator as Queen Mother

REFLECTIONS

• Bathsheba represents all who have suffered and survived
• Focus on those who have been abducted, used or something taken
• Survivors with grace
• God’s mercy and justice

TAMAR, DAUGHTER OF DAVID

TAMAR AND AMNON

FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

• Tamar, daughter of David, sister of Absalom
• Amnon is Tamar’s half brother and is in love with Tamar.
• Amnon schemes to get Tamar into his bedroom and rapes her. He then hates her and throws her out of his house.
• Absalom takes Tamar into his home

ACTIONS BY MEN

• Absalom and King David do not confront Amnon; they remain silent.
• Two years later Absalom takes revenge and kills Amnon.
• David mourns both his sons but not his daughter.

TAMAR

• Caught between two brothers.
• As a daughter she is insignificant and expendable.
• Her rape was seen as a violation of the father’s property rights
• Her feelings were not considered.

REFLECTIONS FOR TODAY

• Violence against women still exists and is to be condemned.
• The violence is a violation against human dignity, justice and respect.
• Silence can not be tolerated

NATHAN THE PROPHET’S PREDICTION

Thus says the Lord God of Israel....Now, therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife....
2 Samuel 12:7-12.

QUEEN OF SHEBA

SHEBA

• Tribe from Arabia, Ethiopia or Yeman
• Caravan people
• Traders of great wealth
• Tribe heard of Solomon’s wealth and wisdom

QUEEN OF SHEBA

• Pagan Queen
• Wealthy and influential
• Prized wisdom over power
• Intellectually gifted
• Good head for business and diplomacy
• Quest for wisdom; travels to test Solomon’s wisdom and to confirm trading agreements
• Brings treasures and presents.

QUEEN OF SHEBA

ROLE OF THE QUEEN OF SHEBA

• Witness to Solomon’s wealth and wisdom
• Confirms his wisdom by his answers, his wealth and the culture of his court.
• Gives praise to the Lord, Israel’s God.
• Reminds Solomon of his duty to establish justice.

God’s gifts to Solomon:
1. A listening heart
2. Riches
3. Universal renown

REFLECTIONS

• Gift giving as recognition of person’s importance, e.g. gifts of the Magi
• Our gifts to God
• Wisdom as a valued quality
• Openness and search for answers. Go to God for answers. Matthew 7:7-8

Jesus recalls Queen of Sheba’s openness to learn from Solomon in contrast to the hardness of heart of his contemporaries.

At the judgment the Queen of the south will arise with this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon: and there is something greater than Solomon here.
Matthew 12:42

JEZEBEL, QUEEN OF ISRAEL

JEZEBEL

• Wife of Ahab, king of Israelite Northern Kingdom.
• Daughter of Phoenician king prosperous because of trade.
• Worshipped the pagan god Baal and brought prophets of Baal with her.
• Ahab built a shrine to Baal for her.

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JEZEBEL RIVAL OF PROPHET ELIJAH

Jezebel and Elijah are both devoted to their God/gods. Jezebel murders the prophets of the Lord. Elijah in a mocking contest, murders the prophets of Baal. Jezebel condemns Elijah to death. He flees to Mount Horeb.

MOCKING CONTEST PROPOSED BY ELIJAH

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MURDER OF NABOTH, AN ISRAELITE

VINEYARDS OF NABOTH

• Ahab wants the vineyards
• Naboth refuses to sell: land is important
• Ahab depressed
• Jezebel takes charge, has Naboth murdered and has her husband take the vineyards. She highlights Ahab’s incompetence.
• God sends Elijah to pronounce judgment on Ahab and Jezebel (1 Kings 21:17-29).

DEATH OF JEZEBEL BY ORDER OF JEHU

“This is the word the Lord spoke through his servant Elijah the Tishbite: in the confines of Jezreel the dogs shall devour the flesh of Jezebel...” (3:36-37)

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REFLECTIONS

• What are some of the idols and false gods we follow today?
• How do I or others use power and position?
• The importance of humility in forgiveness

Closing Prayer
Lord of heaven and earth, I pray that as I search for knowledge in study I discover divine treasure. May I be able to sift through all I read to find the gems of your kingdom. Lord, I long not for the wisdom that leads to power or fortune but the wisdom that leads to faith and love.

Guide my pathway as I thirst for your truths. May I drink from your word and pour out this heavenly water of life, hope, truth and love into all the hearts and lives of all I meet. Amen.

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